Wrapping up EdEquity Corner for 2021
Thanks to everyone who participated in EdEquity Corner this year. Our final session for 2021 was a powerful and moving testimony to the struggle to bring equity to all of our children.
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We honored Dr. Sharon Bailey, District Ombudsman and former board member, who passed away suddenly last week. A few days before her death, she spoke to the Board as current members were retiring and new members were joining. We are so lucky to have a recording of the last public words spoken by this life-long soldier for equity.
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If you missed it, listen to this clip and think about Dr. Bailey’s marching orders to all of us going forward: learn about and acknowledge the history of institutional racism in our district, intentionally build the capacity for equity throughout the system, and be transparent and accountable for making a difference.
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Principal Dominique Jefferson of Hallett Academy was our featured guest and, true to form, she bared her soul to us as she described both the joy and the pain of leading a school during the past several years. Her passion and love for her students was palpable in her recounting of the many ways students and staff share their love for one another in the building. Equally palpable and distressing were her descriptions of the many challenges she faces dealing with the bureaucracy of the behemoth that is Denver Public Schools.
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Hallett is a school without a boundary and faces the yearly trial of recruiting enough students to fill the building and provide sufficient resources to meet students’ needs. In addition, as with many schools, recruiting and retaining teachers during these turbulent times is a never-ending battle. Two weeks into school this year, a teacher resigned and Principal Jefferson and her leadership team were forced to take over the class for 6 weeks before a long-term sub was provided. You can hear the whole interview here.
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We at PHNEE are committed to doing whatever we can to support our schools. Next week we will be providing coffee and donuts for all staff in every one of our elementary schools as a way of saying thank you and acknowledging their hard work and dedication. We hope to raise enough funds to do something like this for every school every month next year. If you’d like to donate to help pay for these appreciation activities, click here and choose “PHNEE- One Park HIll Fund” from the dropdown.
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If you’re interested in volunteering at Hallett, or at any of our other schools, the first step is to fill out a background check form. It takes just a few minutes to fill out and submit, and there is no cost. It usually takes 2 -3 business days to be returned. Once you receive notification that it has been completed, you can stop by any of the schools with a copy of the notification as well as your vaccine card, and someone at the front desk will be able to find a spot for you to help. If you have any challenges with the process, don’t hesitate to email us - info@phnee.org - and we can assist.
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As always, thank you for being an active part of our community. We wish you the very best holiday season and look forward to continuing the conversation in 2022. You can register for our January EdEquity Corner on Wednesday, January 12 here - tinyurl.com/EdEquityJan22.
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